Virgin Mobile USA Pioneers Launch The First Mobile Service Built For 54 Million in The Gig Economy

New mobile carrier empowers members of the gig economy to manage work communications professionally, starting with New York City

New York, NY - Today, Mast, the mobile carrier building a communications platform for modern enterprises, is launching a service exclusively for the 54 million Americans who power the growing on-demand workforce.

Welcome to the gig economy, where now more than one in three employed Americans are working as freelancers. Whether you are an independent consultant, small business salesperson, or designer in a co-working space, you’re constantly looking for ways to be more successful, using the most cost-effective solutions to run your business and to build your personal brand. Gig workers rely on their personal smartphone to handle everything from business development to checking on their baby nephew. While they don’t even consider using desk phones—which desk exactly?—the carriers are not offering anything new to give freelancers the flexibility and control to better manage work and personal life, or, to help them strengthen their professional identity.

Enter Mast. We provide the missing piece of the freelancer’s professional image and workflow: a separate work number on the same mobile device used for their personal number, and a better way to manage his professional communication. The odds of a prospective client answering a call is almost 58% higher if the call is from their local area code rather than a toll-free or out-of-town number. Call forwarding solutions from landline providers or Google Voice just don’t work when you return a client’s call from a different number. With Mast, they can seamlessly return calls from a work number that their clients use and recognize, not from their personal number. Mast also allocates costs to the business, making it easy to track and record expenses. That means it’s great for anyone who is getting reimbursed and has (but doesn’t want) their personal mobile number on their business card. With Mast, freelancers can effectively and seamlessly manage work and personal communication on one device, helping their business succeed.

Starting in New York City the first 250 users to sign up will save $720 – more than enough to cover the cost of their iPhone 6s – only paying $20 per month for two years. They will have two phone lines: one New York number for business use, and another with the freelancer’s existing personal number. The limited-time offer will include unlimited talk and text, and 1 GB of high-speed data on their nationwide 4G LTE network for only $20 per month instead of the regular price of $50 per month. Extra data is only $10 per GB as and when they need it.

“In the modern office environment, office phones have been eliminated,” said Charles Bonello, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Grand Central Tech. “It’s not only because they continue to make less sense from a physical perspective, but also because in an environment increasingly characterized by dynamic spaces and mobile workforces, Mast allows organizations to unlock the power of their employees and unchain them from their desks.”

Mast Features
Perfect for anyone who is hustling all day, working two-plus jobs, balancing family and friends, meetings and yoga classes. Mast is designed to streamline communication and ensure that you’re always in control.

iPhone, Anyone? - The first 250 people who sign up for the service will pay $20/month instead of $50—saving $720 over two years, more than the cost of an iPhone 6s—and get nationwide unlimited domestic talk and text and 1GB of high-speed data. Extra data is only $10 per GB, and the beauty is that you only have to pay for it as and when you need it.

Choose Which Number Is Active & When - Automatically send client calls to voicemail while you’re out with friends. You no longer have to be the person talking about the next deadline over eggs benedict (unless you want to be). And don’t get disturbed by chit-chat when you need to focus on work.

Maintain a Professional Image: Record a professional voicemail greeting for work and a casual one for your personal number.

Hassle-free: Manage your account with a breathtakingly simple app or website, backed by white-glove customer service, and avoid the hassles of dealing with one of the big carriers.

“We see freelancers and startups put so much time and effort into branding, and voice communication has been the missing piece,” said Mast CEO David Messenger. “When a freelancer gives a client a New York City work number, it elevates their professional image. We want to give people a simple and flexible way to juggle their work and personal lives so they are in control and can be more successful, backed up by great service and value.”

About Mast
Mast is a mobile carrier designed to meet the demands people face using mobile devices to support them in and out of the workplace. Mast is a mobile-first solution that eliminates the need for two phones. Headquartered in New York City, Mast was founded in 2013 by David Messenger, Peter Lurie, David Dawson and Bubba Murarka. For more information visit www.mastmobile.com.